Look back: Appalachian State opened the 2016 with a splash, pushing Tennessee to overtime before falling 20-13 in Knoxville. The team rolled past Old Dominion and was fired up for arguably the biggest home game in school history.

However, the Mountaineers couldn't keep up with a high powered Miami Hurricanes offense and fell 45-10. App State would regroup and go on a six game win streak.

Following a 28-24 setback at Troy, the Mountaineers won their final two regular-season games and a share of the Sun Belt title. Appalachian State closed the season with a dramatic 31-28 Camelia Bowl win over Toledo. It was the team's second consecutive Camelia Bowl appearance and victory, building on the team's steady FBS rise after jumping from the Football Championship Subdivision level in 2013.

Strengths: Veteran QB Taylor Lamb returns to lead the Appalachian State offense after accounting for 24 touchdowns last season. He has a strong sense of how to move the Mountaineers. “He’s seen it all as a starter,” App State coach Scott Satterfield told Athlon Sports. “He’s very mature. ...He’s got all the intangibles.”

RB Jalin Moore, the 2016 Sun Belt offensive player of the year, is one of many playmakers helping Lamb on offense. Moore led the Sun Belt with 1,367 yards rushing on 221 attempts for a league-leading 6.2 average. His 113.9 rushing yards per game also led the Sun Belt. Moore's yards per game average increased to 120.2 in eight Sun Belt contests, helping the Mountaineers go 7-1 to claim a share of the league.

On the defensive side of the ball, DB Clifton Duck is back after earning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors. He tied for second in the league and ranked first among freshmen with five interceptions in 2016. Duck returned one of the picks for a touchdown.

Weaknesses: Appalachian State loses some talent on both lines, with OL Parker Collins, OL Beau Nunn and DL Dezmin Reed all exhausting their eligibility.

While the Mountaineers primarily rely on the rushing attack, the passing offense could use a little more bite. The team ranked No. 105 nationally out of 128 teams in passing offense, averaging 179 yards through the air per game. The inability to take pressure off the run game contributed to the team ranking No. 113 in third-down conversion last season (0.34).

Outlook: It was unclear how long it might take FCS power Appalachian State to adjust to the FBS level. The answer was about two years, a remarkable jump for any program. The Mountaineers boast veteran leadership and have the potential to repeat as Sun Belt champions.

Orlando Sentinel college insider Matt Murschel ranked all 130 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in the country ahead of the 2017 season. The Sentinel staff provides a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. 130 to our projected No. 1 team. See all the rankings at OrlandoSentinel.com/rankings.